Magnetic game board with magnetized spherical game pieces



M. P. JURAN Jan, 12, 1954 MAGNETIC GAME BOARD WITH MAGNETIZED SPHERICAL GAME PIECES Filed April 17, 1951 w W 25 o Q2 M wz W a m w W H 5 3 5 M E Q a; a

Zz INVENTOR. [Va/y Q JZ/f'O/Z A 7 TO/EA/EX Patented Jan. 12, 1954 UNITED s-TATss ATENT OFFICE 2 Claims;

This invention relates we bears and lhor particularly to'a game board incorpiir a plurality of magnetized spherical ames es.

The 'ri'ncip'al object of Lhe invention is the provision of a game board having a plurality'bf score zones each of which has lria'gnetiz able metallic pieces for attracting and/or repelling -Iiiagrietizable spherical game pieces. a

A further ob jCfi-O f the intention the rovision of a game board having a playing siir'face incorporating magnetiiabIe score objectives and a plurality of hollow spheres comprising playing pieces, each of the hollow spheres having assesndary sphere looselyposit-ioned therein and the second sphere including 'mag'i'letizable material.

A still further Object sf the invention is'tfie provision or iilelipelasively formed, attractive game board which may be rapidly assembled from readily obtainable materials and whicHis particularly suited for use as a table top garne.

A still further object of the inventio'ii is the provision of a 'galne'board wherein playing surface is provided incorpori "mg magnetie le'infits including north and south poles together was a plurality of spherical game pieces" incorpor'a rig magnetic elements having north and south poles and whereby the game pieces are attracted to r repelled from the magnetic elments'in the game board as the same are rolled the cros The game board disclosed herein ccmprisesa novel table top game particularly suited for home use in that it resembles somewhat the gains of shuflieboard and at the same time incorporates novel scoring areas and novel game pieces for achieving scoring results thereon.

The game board disclosed herein,- and particularly the magrietizabl'e metallic pieces in the playing surface thereof and the spherical game pieces each of which incorporates a magnetizable or r'riagrietic element, makes possible an unusually exciting and interesting game as the playing pieces are rolled across the playing surface of the game board as the s herical game pieces will follow an erratic path depending upon their position with respect to the magnetizable or magnetic elements in the playing surface of the game board and the positioningof the magnetizable or magnetic elements in the spherical game pieces themselves.

With the foregoing and other-objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a 'cro'sssection (if one of a plurality ofspheiic'al game pieces 'employed with th'e game board shown in Figure 1-.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailedview of a portion of the game board shbwri inFigure 1 and showing a modifiedmag'iitizable element positio'ned on the playing surface thereon By referring to the drawings and Figure l in particular" it will be seen that the game board comprisesa rectangular frame lt'incluiiing a bottom member II and a playing surface I2 which may be' fiat or inclinede'ith'r toward the front or the back of the game board. The front of the game board comprises the" lowermost end, as shown in Figure l of the drawings, and the back comprises the" uppermost end" arid it will be observed that tli' playing surface I2 is in the form of an elevated platfcriii with respect to the bettom I I andtha'ti't is narrower'tli'an the bottom I I so that ball return passageways I 3 3 are defined dn'e' on each side'of theplaying'surface I2.-

These ball return passageways 3-43 may be, and preferablyar, partiallycovered by an inturned flange l4 which extends around the edge of the game boarda'nd is attached to'the rectangular irame H1. The front end of the playing board i'sso' arranged that the bottom II is e5:- posed between the front edge I5 or the playing surface" I2 and the end Wall IDA of the'recta'n'gular frame [0.

The ball return" passageways" I3 I 3- communicat withthis end" portion andin Figure 1 of "the drawings two" of the spherical game pieces are illustrated in" this area and indicated by the name-rat I The pp'osite or back end of the gamebbard; which is tlie'uppermost portion oi the 'viewinFigure 1; has" an end'pariel I! which is'tilted with respect to" the playing surface I! so that-itinclines'sidewardly arid rearwardly toward the ball receiving channels I3-I 3. The passageways l'3 -r3ex-tend across the back end of the game board and into a ball receiving area It and one of the spherical game pieces IE is shown in position therein in Figure 1 of the drawings.

Still referring to Figure 1 of the drawings it will be observed that the playing surface I2 is divided into a plurality of score zones. These score zones are preferably, but not necessarily, separated by transverse lines I9 and they include indicia as to the score obtained when one of the spherical game pieces I6 is caused to rest therein. The indicia as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings comprise the numerals 10, 50, 100, 150, 300 and 500, some of which are associated with plus symbols and some of which are associated with minus symbols. The scoring indicia illustrated and just described is optional and may obviously be altered if desired. Each of the score zones defined by the transverse lines I9 are generally indicated by the numerals 20 and each includes a plurality of magnetizable or magnetic pieces 2| positioned flush with the playing surface I2 as best shown in Figures 3 and 5 of the drawings.

Each of these magnetic or magnetizable pieces 2I may comprise a bar magnet, as disclosed in 1 cil or similar device to define a desirable area of the magnetic material. For example, a resin binder loaded with iron filings or iron ore, or other similar magnetizable metal, may be sprayed in a desired pattern on the playing surface I2. The spherical game pieces I6, heretofore referred to, are identical in size and construction in the preferred embodiment of the game and one of the game pieces I6 is illustrated in cross sectional enlarged detail in Figure 4 of the drawings.

By referring thereto it will be observed that the sphere I6 is formed of a non-magnetic material, such as a synthetic resin, capable of being moulded, for example in two halves which are later cemented together to form a completed sphere, the halves being illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings as I 6 and ISA and the sphere thus formed enclosing in its hollow interior a secondary sphere 23, which like the sphere I8, may be formed of non-magnetizable material such as a synthetic resin and so as to enclose a magnet 24. Alternately, the sphere 23 may be formed entirely of magnetic material.

In either event, the sphere is loosely positioned in the spheres I6 which are always formed of nonmagnetic material. A number of the spheres I6 are used in playing the game and, for example, five spheres of a red color may be used by one player and five spheres of a, green color may be used by another player, etc. When two players are playing the game, the spheres may be thrown alternately or each group of five by each player and the spheres which are attracted to and retained by the pieces M in the various score zones may be added and the score obtained by the player thus totaled. It will be understood that if some of the score indicia are preceded or prefixed by minus symbols then the total of the spheres in those zones are substracted from the total of the spheres in the zones carrying the plus indicia.

It will thus be seen that the game board disamusing and entertaining game results.

closed herein is particularly suited for play with the particular spheres disclosed herein which incorporates magnetic centers or centers of magnetic material. It will be observed that when a sphere is rolled across the several score zones 20 of the board, its course will be influenced by the motion imparted it by the player and also by the positioning of the secondary sphere 23 therein and also by the position of the pieces 2| in the score zones. For example, assuming that each of the pieces 2| in the score zones carrying the indicia minus 10 minus is formed of a piece of steel and not magnetized and the sphere incorporates a magnet having north and south poles in oppositely disposed relation, as hereinbefore disclosed, then the sphere will be attracted to each of the pieces 2I whereas if the pieces 2| are magnetized so that they incorporate north and south poles in oppositely disposed relation, then the sphere will be attracted to some and repelled by others depending upon the positioning of the magnet in the secondary sphere 23 of the spheres I 5.

It will thus be seen that the course of the playing game pieces, the spheres I6, is quite erratic and quite novel as disclosed herein and that an Those spheres which are not seated in one of the zones, either on or off one of the pieces 2| and which roll across the entire length of the game board, will be automatically returned to the playing end or forward end of the game board by the return passageways I 3I 3.

It will thus be seen that a game board meeting the several objects of the invention has been disclosed which, together with the spherical game pieces also disclosed herein, makes possible the provision of the game board set forth in the objects.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A game board and playing pieces therefor, the game board comprisinga playing surface having scoring zones thereon and pieces of magnetic material in the scoring zones, the playing pieces comprising hollow spheres of non-magnetic material having smaller spheres of nonmagnetic material therein, said smaller spheres having portions of magnetized material exposed on their surfaces.

2. A game board and playing pieces therefor,

the game board comprising a playing surface having scoring zones thereon and pieces of magnetized material in the scoring zones, the playing pieces comprising hollow spheres of non-magnetic material having smaller spheres of nonmagnetic material therein, said smaller spheres having portions of magnetic material exposed on their surfaces.

MAR-Y P. JURAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 996,458 Coleman June 27, 1911 1,648,956 Meade NOV. 15, 1927 1,953,873 Warner Apr. 3, 193 2,277,057 Bach Mar. 24, 1942 2,292,283 Muller Aug. 4, 1942 2,353,866 Bach July 18, 1944 

